Alternanthera
This colorful, little Alternanthera is a lovely foliage plant having narrow lanceolate leaves. It makes a very effective edging plant, its leaves, variegated with crimson, pink, green, brown, orange and carmine, in some respects, resembling our brilliant Autumn leaves. Perhaps it is most often seen as an edging or ribbon border and for carpet bedding in public parks and cemeteries, as well as in private gardens.
Though it has very small white blossoms, I have never seen a seed pod, nor do I find it listed in the catalogs, but I have never visited a nursery that did not carry the plants in the Spring time. It is easily propagated by cuttings which root in water or sand. If one starts with small cuttings in the Autumn, they will not take up too much valuable space in the window garden during the Winter months, yet the brilliant coloring will add immeasurably to the plant arrangement. Full sunshine and plenty of moisture, with a weekly drink of liquid fertilizer, seems to meet the requirements for the months spent in the house. Then in the Spring the plants are turned out of their pots and put in a sunny border where they really grow and their colors reach their height of perfection in brilliancy. As a plant grown in the house, in the garden or for cutting purposes, it is a colorful, dependable, MUST for any gardener.
Pilea microphylla
This oldtime favorite of our grandmothers’ day has the interesting common name of artillery plant, because the pollen is forcibly discharged if the foliage is sprayed when the pollen is ripe.
There seems to be some question as to whether the species microphylla and muscosa are the same. L. H. Bailey in his Cyclopedia makes them synonymous, and also lists scrpyllifolia as a lighter green, stronger and more upright species. I have grown both, and find they are not particular as to soil or location on the window sill. They do require an abundance of water.
They are half succulent herbs with lacy, fern-like foliage, and used as a pot-plant alone, they make a dainty addition to the window garden of coarser plants. Florists use them in combination with other plants as gift items.
During the Summer months, the pots can be placed on a porch or sunk to the rim of the pot in a partially shaded location where they will be assured of a generous supply of moisture. As these plants grow fairly rapidly one has a supply of cuttings for admirers. They root easily in water.
Ceropegia
The name Ceropegia is from the Greek meaning wax and fountain. The native home of these succulent vines is Africa. There are many species, but few are known here in the United States.
I have had experience with but five: “afra,” barklyi, caffrorum, debilis and woodi. All of these are interesting house plants of trailing habits and strange, rather colorless blossoms, one almost misses, and long, very round seed pods.
Perhaps woodi is best known, as it is sometimes called “hearts on strings” or “heart vine,” because of the shape of the beautiful silver-marked leaves. It is also known as “rosary vine,” because of the little bulb-lets that form at the joints of the stems, and “umbrella vine” because of the shape of the blossom.
C. barklyi is much like woodi, but the leaves are more pointed and a bit larger. The silver markings are just as effective.
The word debilis means weak, and that is just what the stem of that variety is. It is very thin, and the leaves are almost cylindrical. According to the catalog these leaves should have a silver mid-rib, but mine have stayed plain green. It is also supposed to be a rapid grower, although mine has grown very slowly.
C. caffrorum is quite robust in growth. and has heart-shaped leaves of a deep green color. Bulblets do not form on this variety. C. “afra” is much like caffrorum, but the leaves are more pointed. It, too, grows rapidly, but so far has not produced bulb-lets.
The Ceropegias can be propagated by cuttings rooted in water or sand or by the bulblets, and for a potting mixture use peat, sand and loam. When the plants are growing, they want plenty of water, but in Winter they should be allowed to rest. Give just enough moisture to keep the soil from becoming bone dry.
Stenotaphrum secundatum variegatum
When I received a gift plant of this ribbon-like grass, it really was not as large as its name, Stenotaphrum secundatum rariegatum, or St. Augustine grass. The leaves or blades are green and white, striped with white down the center and white on the edge, but the arrangement of the narrower stripes is different on different blades. Instead of the pointed end one expects of grass, the ends are rounded. The section of the blade toward the stem is flat and folded about the stem. That section is one to two inches long, and there the full width of the blade opens at a slight angle which gives a well-balanced effect. At each joint two new leaves unfold.
If the branches get too long, they can be cut back and the ends thrust in the soil around the edge of the pot. This helps to keep new growth low, and a fuller, better looking plant is the result. Or it can be let grow full length, and used in a hanging basket or suspended pot.
It is not particular as to soil, but likes plenty of water and will grow in the sun or in a north window. In fact I often use it in places where nothing else fits the space at hand, and it seems equally happy in all locations.
Pellionia
This family of tender creeping foliage plants is suitable for suspended pots or hanging baskets, and while they prefer warm hum id air, they do well wherever African violets thrive. The same potting mixture as used for violets is to their liking; a mixture of equal parts of sand, peat and leaf mold or good loam. They like enough water, rain water preferred, to keep the soil moist at all times.
In the Winter they like plenty of light, but in the Summer they rest in a shaded corner of an east porch.
Pellionia daveauana has a pointed leaf of gray-green, with outside bands of a purplish brown. The contrast is striking. Pellionia pulchra has a smaller leaf, blunt and rounded, with a network of dark veins on green, there being as much of the dark veins as of the green of the leaf. On the undersides, the coloring is silvery, with purple veins.
Because the leaves of the two plants are so different in texture and markings, they make an interesting combination planted together, and that can easily be done as they require the same treatment.
